Chapter
59: Confrontation
Confrontation
is something many people fear and avoid. Usually it accomplishes
more than it destroys but there are many who are destroyed not by
what they discover about others but about what they discover about
themselves. This is what many people in power truly fear because
there is often no worse exposure than the one to oneself.
– D.D.
Mauro
called for an ambulance and an emergency medical team. He was almost
in a state of panic.
Emiliano
did not wait for the full impact of his statement to sink in with
Alonso.
“Emiliano,
I didn't know anything about this.”
“I
don't believe you anymore!” Emiliano shouted. “You manipulate
people. You ruin everything! You've killed people. Axel, my
classmate! Tell me something about how –”
“Wait
a minute! I risked my career and my reputation to keep you out of
jail. That's manipulation? You are changing things in your favor
like your mother does. You two are the same. You can't accept
reality. You can't accept who I am. Everything I've done was for
you. To save you –”
“Liar!
I'm starting to realize who you are. When I began realizing just
who you are you sent Cecelia after me to make a fool out of me.”
“Wait,
wait, wait. Shut up. Your grandfather introduced her to me. He
asked me to give her a job. That's what I did. That is the truth.”
“You
arranged for me to boink my mother's sister. You are sick! I
don't want to se you again!”
He
backed off and walked out of the office, almost slamming the door
behind him. Alonso stood there in shocked silence for a few seconds,
then walked out of his office in anger.
“Magda!”
he shouted. “I want to see Mauro and Cecelia now! Immediately!”
Magda
shook in her shoes. Alonso's angry outbursts used to be a rare thing
but lately had become routine.
“Mauro
is at Cecelia's apartment, sir. She is very sick.”
“It
will be worse than that,” he said as he walked out.
Escalante's
meeting with El Chulo was not over.
“Of
course you think I'm interested in Lorena Sanchez,” he said. “Kill
her if you want to.”
“Is
that a challenge?”
“Yes,”
he answered. He then went to open the door, indicating that their
meeting was over. “Go. You obey orders, don't you?”
El
Chulo stood, gave a mock-military salute, and walked out. Escalante
closed the door, walked back inside, and made a call on his cell.
“It's
Escalante. El Chulo will not listen to reason. Do what you have to
do.” He then made another call. “Take Marcia to a place Lorena
doesn't know. I am going to talk to her.”
Mauro
was apprehensive.
“How
is she, Doctor?”
“It's
a miracle I could save her. She needs to be taken to a hospital
where she can be monitored constantly. She needs to be under
observation.”
“She
can't leave here. She's the press secretary of Alonso San Roman. If
the press finds out about this it will be a disaster.”
“Sir,
the patient needs to be hospitalized. Her life is in danger.”
Mauro
took out his cell and called for a high-level medical personnel with
security clearance.
Magda
phoned Natalia, saying she needed to see her urgently.
“Why?
So you can laugh in my face?”
“No,
how can you think that? No,” said Magda, embarrassed at the
accusation. “It's just about the insurace forms regarding your
husband's hospitalization. Only you can authorize those. Can you
come to your son's office, please?”
“Alright.
I'll see you later.”
As
she ended the call José offered his help.
“Should
I resign now?” he asked.
“No.
That would alert Omar and others. Nobody must know.” She took
his hands. “If anyone knew it would ruin our only chance to start
over new. I have to put my financial affairs in order, then we can
go. I love you, José. I need you.”
“I
love you, too.”
They
kissed.
The
doctor began giving instructions to the emergency medical team.
Mauro heard footsteps and saw Alonso coming up the stairs with a
demonic stare.
“Leave
us alone,” Mauro told the medics, who reluctantly left the room.
Cecelia tried to breathe, but it was labored.
“Cecelia
is in no condition to handle anything,” Mauro said to Alonso. “She
is very ill. She almost died.”
“I'm
in no condition to take any other consideration from this fool,”
said Alonso.
“Alonso,
wait,” Mauro said, stepping forward.
“Step
aside!” Alonso shouted as he approached the bed. “Are you on
Mario Barcenas' side?” he said, looking at Cecelia. She looked up
at him, obviously afraid. “Why did you do this? To get revenge on
your sister? To get revenge on me? To destroy my family?”
Cecelia
looked away from him. The sound of his voice was frightening enough.
“Answer
me!” he shouted. A moment later he leaned over and seized her
throat in his right hand. “Answer or I will kill you.”
She
could not avoid his gaze. As he started squeezing her throat she
pushed back with her right arm, which did not help. Mauro came
forward to grab his arm.
“Let
her go!” he yelled.
“I'm
going to kill her!” Alonso ignored Mauro's grip and continued to
choke Cecelia.
“You
can't do this. You will destroy your career –”
“I
don't care!”
“The
presidency is almost in your hands. Listen to me!”
Mauro
pulled and Alonso released Cecelia.
“Alright,
alright!” he said, turning away. Cecelia almost choked while
trying to breathe again. Alonso looked back at her. “I never want
to see you again. You are trash. You make me sick. I never want to
see you again for the rest of my life. Just as you tried to destroy
my family I will destroy you.”
Alonso
backed out of the room and left the apartment. Mauro shouted for the
doctor to attend Cecelia.
Regina
and Daniela walked into Isela's cabaret during the pre-orgy hour.
Girls and their customers were just getting warmed up in the bar
area; no clothing had yet been shed. The bouncer alerted Isela to
their presence and she got up from her seat to greet them most
uncordially.
“Finally
you decide to come here,” she said to Regina. “What are you here
fore, Candidate? Answers?”
“I
only came here for the truth. To find out since when you and my
father were selling women.”
“No.
Don't be mistaken; I do not traffic women. I take care of my girls.
I don't lock them up, exploit them, or kill them. That's all about
your father. It's his work. It's your blood.” She pointed at
Regina for emphasis. She paused only long enough to notice that
Regina was choking back tears of shock. “I was his prostitute. He
used me, he hurt me, and thanks to my pregnancy he didn't degrade me
as he did others. I thought my life would change, but no. He didn't
want to recognize Cecelia. She lived her entire life in the shadow
of what he gave you.”
“And
you consented to remain silent for his company?”
“We
had to remain silent under the threats of your father. All to
protect Regina, the Heiress,” she said in a mocking tone. “And
later to protect Senator Barcenas. We were of small matter, a
prostitute and a bastard. But this prostitute made good and raised
her daughter to be the best.”
“And
you expect me to congratulate you on that? Don't be mistaken; I'm
not hear to hear stories about my father. I need to know how he
manipulated people here.”
“Oh,
so you came with a court order? Where is it?” She pulled out a
barstool and sat down. “You wanted to know about your father. Why
don't you ask him? You want to denounce me? I don't recommend you
do that because that will bring down your whole family and you with
it.”
“Now
you think you can threaten me in this manner? You can try what you
want but I remember that you are the interference. You prostituted
yourself and others and you and my father can end up in prison.”
“And
you are our accomplice. Your entire life was paid by the bodies of
my prostitutes. Thousands of women exploited by your father and many
ended up dead.”
“I
have proof of your criminal activities.”
Isela
yelled for her bouncer, who was also the bartender.
“Throw
them out of here.” Regina began pulling Daniela toward the door
before any violence could take place. “Leave, hypocrite, from the
cabaret that paid for your life. Don't mess with me. I'm not an
idiot like my daughter. I know how to kill you. Listen to me: I
will kill you!”
Daniela
had to push her boss gently for that last step. Isela's last
statement was that shocking to her.
At
campaign headquarters Gerardo and Ignacio talked about Gerardo's
mistrust of Escalante. Their immediate problem was they had little
proof against him. Gerardo wanted to protect Regina and Ignacio was
along for the ride because he was looking for answers about his
daughter's death. He suspected Mario, but had no proof.
A
demonstration was taking place in a poor part of town. The police
had arrived and were hungry to arrest any or all of the demonstrators
they could. Regina and Daniela came to the scene. Regina helped a
man to his feet who had been knocked down and a woman screamed at her
that nobody was listening to their issues. Regina promised that she
would, adding that violence was not a solution. My colleagues were
all there from every outlet with microphones and cameras recording
the situation. She told the people she would talk to the police
about this situation and calm the situation so there could be a civil
dialogue. As one of the leaders told the others to back off Regina
told Daniela to call Escalante to tell him to come and to fill him in
on the events. Daniela evaded the press and obeyed, then ran back to
be with her boss once she ended the call.
Escalante's
goons brought Marcia to an SUV only to end up confronting El Chulo
and his henchmen, who open fired on them. Two of them were shot dead
at the scene while the others escaped in two cars with El Chulo's men
in pursuit.
Regina
ended a call and told the crowd that she would arrange a meeting if
the march were ended at that moment. This met with considerable
verbal resistance and the police surrounded Regina and Daniela as
they crowd moved in.
Mario
arrived at the office where Mauro told him that Cecelia almost died
of a drug overdose.
“How
is she?”
“She's
stablized. She's at her apartment with a doctor.” Mario turned to
leave but Mauro stopped him. “Don't even think about going there.
You are Cecelia's main problem, Mario.”
“Don't
interfere in this.”
“Do
you get what I said?”
“No,
I can't. Isela has information but her demands are ridiculous.”
“What
did she ask?”
“That
I marry her and legitimatize Cecelia by giving her my name. It's
ridiculous.”
“Marry
her if you have to to conceal those documents.”
“No,
no. What we have to do is get all those documents with the names of
politicians and business people. You have to help me. You control
the intelligence.”
“What
are you asking me, Mario?” he asked. He looked at him
incredulously. “No.”
“We
can take it by force, what you and I need.”
“Leave.
I don't want to see you here again.”
He
started to escort Mario out but Loreta appeared before they were more
than a few steps away.
“Interim
Governor, Alonso is waiting for you.”
“Yes,
of course. Let him in.”
“Thanks.”
Mauro
and Loreta entered the office. Mario did not follow.
Escalante
had come to the scene and somehow Regina got the situation calmed
down. She shook hands with both the police and the demonstrators and
both left the scene peacefully. Escalante then told her that the
situation was a bit more complicated than she thought.
“Some
foreign intelligence people found a young woman named Marcia. She
said she was your father-in-law's lover.”
“Marcia?
Yes, but a foreign intelligence agent?”
“Yes;
they rescued her. They found out her life was in danger and they're
protecting her. This girl can tell us a lot about Alonso and Omar.
Also about your father.”
“What
does my father have to do with that?”
“Marcia
confirmed a prostitution ring operated by Mario Barcenas. She was
given to Omar to extract information to use for blackmail.”
Regina
did not reply. She opened the car door and got in.
“I'm
sorry, Regina, but you had to know. We have to stamp this out
without getting involved.”
“We're
talking about turning in my father.”
“This
is about what we always wanted to do: cleaning the garbage out of
this country.”
He
stepped away as Regina closed the car door, then took a call. It was
from one of his goos, calling from the shotgun seat of the car where
Marcia was held in the back seat.
“There
was a shootout with Chulo. They killed two of ours.”
“What?”
With
apologies to Mario Puzo, Alonso made Loreta an offer he wouldn't
refuse.
“I
think it's time for you to return to power,” he said. Loreta
looked surprised.
“What
are you offering me?”
“Revenge.
Like me. Me Mario Barcenas. You for Lorena Sanchez.”
“What
do I have to do in exchange? Continue in an agreement for favors?”
“I
need your silence. Without your testimony the law can't do anything.
In exchange I will take you back into the party.”
“And
when you're President? I want to be Secretary of the House. I lost
a lot of money and I want to recover.”
Alonso
considered this for a moment before speaking.
“Very
well. We have a deal.”
They
shook hands and gave each other campaign promise smiles.
Ximena
sat in a doctor's waiting room staring at the walls and the ceiling.
“I
want a DNA test,” Teresa said the te doctor. “It's very
important.”
“This
procedure would be very invasive. The foetus is premature. This is
not recommended because it can affect the remaining gestation.”
“I
don't care if it's malformed. I want this test.”
The
doctor glanced at Ximena. “I will not do anything like this.”
“Doctor,
I'm willing to pay a lot of money.”
“You
can't force this and I should report it.” The doctor turned his
back on her.
“Idiot!”
“What
happened?” Ximena asked.
“Nothing.
We're going to another hospital.”
Her
cell phone rang.
“What
do you want? No, I don't want to talk to you.”
“Is
that my father?” Ximena asked. Teresa motioned for Ximena to be
quiet.
“I
will take charge of this.”
Marcia
sat in a warehouse on a bench. She was as frightened as ever.
Fernando and two of his goons entered.
“Who
are all of you?”
“Be
calm. We are only going to record your full account of everything
that happened.”
“And
can I do afterward?”
“Calm
down. Yes. You can return to your parents and your town.” He
motioned to one of his men to take out the cell phone. “Now I want
you to start with who are Omar and Alonso San Roman, Mario Barcenas,
and tell me what they did to you. I want you to tell me the whole
story in all detail. And as soon as possible.”
The
cell phone camera was ready.
Mario
was at Cecelia's apartment. The emergency med tech was tending her
under the doctor's supervision. Cecelia appeared to be asleep or
unconcious.
“You
should not talk with her. She can't have visitors.”
“She's
my daughter. Leave us alone.”
The
doctor motioned for the EMT to leave them alone. They left the room.
Mario climbed onto the empty side of the bed and kissed Cecelia's
hand. She woke up and leaned into his shoulder.
“You
don't have to talk. You don't have the courage to confront reality.
But we still have to save ourselves.” He kissed her forehead.
“How?”
“I
need you to tell me where to find the archived lists of politicians,
judges, and business moguls who frequented the cabaret and the
brothel. Do you know where your mother keeps them?”
She
did not answer, nor did she look at him. He waited a moment.
“I'll
give you my name,” he said. “It's as simple as that. Give me
what I need and I'll give it to you.”
Natalia
closed her purse and rose to leave Magda's office. Magda apologised
to her.
“I
swear, I didn't do anything to influence this.”
“Whether
that's true or not, now nobody can touch Omar's money until he dies.”
Magda
curled up into a standing version of the foetal position and started
to cry.
“Magda,
what is wrong? Why this?”
“Alonso
is angry with me.” [???]
Alonso
walked in, scowling.
“Get
out of here,” he said. When she didn't move he shouted. “Get
out of here, Magda!”
She
was startled and started to leave. Alonso continued to shout until
she was out the door, stifling tears on her way.
“What's
wrong with you, Alonso?” his mother asked. “Why are you treating
her like this?”
“Are
you allies now, you two? What are you up to, with my father alone
like a dog?”
“Here
the only pain is coming from you. You're doing exactly what your
father did and you will end like him. Alone, like a dog as you
said.”
“I
don't think so. On the other hand, you at your age and without
money? If you don't want to end up alone and in the street go and
take care of my father instead of fucking –”
Natalia
slapped him before he finished the sentence. He dared not say
another word. Natalia looked at him and calmly left his office
without saying anythng else. When she had turned in the corridor Alonso
came out of his office and shouted for Magda.
At
campaign headquarters Ignacio informed Daniela that Gerardo was
looking for Ximena thanks to Teresa's madness. She told him that
what they suspected is now being confirmed, that a woman will testify
to Mario's involvement in prostitution. This caught Ignacio's
attention because he suspected that Mario was protecting the narcos
who killed Nayeli. He was certain there was a connexion and became a
bit agitated. He told Daniela he would not calm down until he found
the people who had killed his daughter.
Escalante
played back Marcia's story on his laptop.
My
name is Marcia Ramirez. I worked in a café as a waitress. There I
met Mario Barcenas. He hired me to seduce Omar San Roman to get
information out of him. In a short time Omar took me to live in his
house and the abuses began. He started to hit me and insult me and
he kept me locked up. I was caught talking to Mario Barcenas then
sexually abused by Alonso San Roman. I was handed over to a woman
named Isela Aguilar and offered to her prostitution ring. After that
Mario Barcenas brought me somewhere else. After that I was given to
some drug traffickers. I was raped repeatedly. [???]
He
stopped the video, removed the flash drive, and called his secretary
in. He told her to make a copy. She told him that his operatives
were on the line. He picked up his phone and was told they were
almost at the site.
El
Chulo and six men were in a parking garage, talking as they headed
toward their cars. He shook hands with a bearded man in a leather
fleece-lined jacket before they parted company. El Chulo got into
his car. Before the other men could enter theirs El Chulo started
the motor and the explosion was loud and fiery. Escalante heard it
over his phone.
“El
Chulo is now history,” said the one of the men.
Mario
reviewed some papers and told Mauro over the phone that he had the
necessary documents. Cecelia had come through for them.
“Good.
We need to take advantage of this because we don't have much time.”
“Actually,
time is on my side right now.”
“Does
that mean you're going to meet her demands?”
“No.
In fact, I'm going to get her out of the way. She's going to be
arrested. You know how that happens.”
Regina
and Daniela were watching the video of Marcia.
“Are
you prepared to believe this is a lie?” Daniela asked.
Regina
was almost shocked into silence.
“I
will talk to my husband and my father,” she said. Her phone rang.
It was Escalante but she told him they would talk later. She picked
up her handbag and took out her cell as she began walking to the
exit. She called Mario, who was still at Cecelia's apartment,
standing out on the terrace.
“Father?
We need to talk.”
“Yes.
I know you talked with Cecelia but I can explain everything,
daughter.”
“I
don't want to talk about this on a cell phone. It needs to be in
person and alone.”
She
ended the call before he could respond.
“What
happened?” Cecelia asked him. She was up and out of bed.
“Cecelia,
sit down,” he said, guiding her to a chair. “You should be in
bed.” He sat in the next chair. “Your sister called me to give
me an ultimatum. She will never forgive me. Everything I've worked
for all these years is gone like through a seive.” He took her
hand “And why? For your ridiculous obsession to be recognized.”
“But
you said you'd give me your name, didn't you? You had told me you
would.”
“But
why would I do that? Why do I have to recognize a daughter I had
with a prostitute?”
Cecelia
looked up with an expression of desperation. She looked as though
she would cry.
“But
if you want there are tests. You promised.”
“Yes.
And now you have nothing with which to negotiate. You are a fool,
Cecelia.”
“No,
Father. I believed you.”
“You
don't have Regina's strength or the tenacity of your mother. You are
just a pretty woman who can be manipulated. You have nothing of me.
Therefore, you are of no more use to me. I'm sorry.”
He
sat back in his chair for a second or two, got up, and kissed her
forehead before leaving. No more was said. Cecelia got up and
started after him, shouting “Father, don't leave me, Father!”
Mario
did not even turn around to face her. He took his briefcase and
left, going past the EMT and Hernán, who had likely just arrived.
Hernán motioned for the EMT to be quiet as he entered the apartment.
He went over to Cecelia, who had sunk to the floor.
“What
happened?”
“You
don't know how much I hate him.”
He
hugged her and did not ask questions as she cried. That would wait.
Isela's
cabaret was busy that day. She was entertaining a mature man on the
couch while the other customers were enjoying the fruit of the vine
and the pole dancers. A police team entered with an envelope.
“Isela
Aguilar?” asked the leader.
She
turned around and smiled.
“Welcome,”
she said. “I assume you know my girls aren't armed, don't you?”
“We
have an arrest warrant,” he said, holding out the envelope.
One
of the girls helped Isela up from the couch and she took the
envelope.
“There
are charges against you, Madam,” he said with a note of sarcasm.
“Why?”
“You
are accused of organized crime, deprivation of liberty for sexual
purposes, imprisonment of women here along with illegal sales of
alcohol and drugs. Cardenas, take her.”
Cardenas
and another cop stepped forward to seize Isela and press her against
the wall. Her bouncer was taken down to the floor and panic began
throughout the rooms.
“Close
those doors! Nobody is to leave!”
Noemi
poured herself a drink. Natalia was a second too late to stop her
drinking the alcohol.
“Noemi,
don't do this. You have to control your desire to drink.”
“Now
that everything is out in the open all I want is to hide. I feel
like everything exploded.”
She
sat down as Natalia's cell rang. She answered and said she would
come right away.
“What
happened?”
“Omar
is in a coma.”
“Oh,
my God.”
Emiliano
was pacing when Alonso entered the room.
“I
said I never want to see you again.”
“But
you're my son. I love you.”
“Pain
does not go away by force.”
“But
it does. I have to talk to you.”
“What
do you want? What are you making up now?”
“I
haven't invented anything.” He shook his head in frustration.
“You impregnated Gerardo Martínez' daughter.”
Regina
was outside in the garden when Mario arrived. She was pacing with
folded arms. He entered as though nothing were wrong.
“Tell
me what you have to,” he said.
“Do
you have any idea how much pain you've caused?”
“You
don't want to hear my side of the story?”
“What
about it isn't dirty? Your prostitution ring? The bribes and
corruption? The lover you planted with Omar? What should I listen
to?”
“What
are you saying?” he asked as though she were a teenager testing
boundaries.
She
stared at him for a moment.
“Somehow
I can't hate you. But I have to see you put in prison, Father.”
And
there you have it. My esteemed colleagues will take you to the end
of this tale. It has been interesting to see that certain aspects of
human nature will always be the same no matter the technology, the
speed of information, or the disclosure of human depravity. I will always
be reporting it. I'll have my closing remarks at the end and here is
to a return engagement for another such story of the timeless nature
of the seven deadly sins. – D.D.
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